Exercising apparatus



March 19, 1929. J, ANDERSON 1,705,745

EXERCI S ING APPARATUS Filed 001,. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 1929- J. R. ANDERSON EXERCISING APPARATUS Filed Oct. '7, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. '19, 1929 usirso ESTATES? 1 1,705,745 "Parser OFFICE.

JOHN R. aunnason, or MoLiNE, ILLINOIS, Assnnvon TO HARVEY 13,,BRQWN, or

. DAVENPORT, IOWA.. t Y

I xuncrsmenrraaarus.

Applieationfiled October 7, 1925. 1 Serial m. 1293271.

This invention relates to novel improvements in exercising apparatus and its ob ect is to provide simple means of strongand, substantial construction which can beeasily set up for use and as-easily folded in com pact form for transportation and'storage.

Another object is to provide novel means which will enable the user to bend and stretch the body'and leg muscles in many different ways and to-an extent wholly withln the control of the user.

A further object is to provide. the apparatus with means for exercising the neck and shoulder muscles independently of or in con- 7 junction with the exercise of the bod y and leg muscles. v. V Q And a further object is, to provide novel means for adjusting the apparatus to suit particular persons and to simplify or make more arduous the use thereof. 1

In the accompan'ying drawin gs illustrating a selected embodiment of the'inven'tion:

1 is a perspective View showing the apparatus set upforuse. p y ,Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the app'a ratus folded.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation showing parts in broken lines in different positions,

Figs. 4,5, 6 and 7 are detail-sectionalviews.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate usesof tlie apparatus. 4 r Y 7 I Referring to the drawings, the base 1s skeleton in form and con'ipris'estwo side bars 11, 11 and two end cross-boards 12,12 rigidly] secured together. The cross-board 12 constitutes a foot rest and is provided w th stirrups 13, 13 and an intermediate abutment 14.

A. frame is pivoted to the side bars 11, 11 by a pivot rod 15 about midway between the endsof the'base, and this frame comprises the side bars 16, 16 the cross bar 17 and the position, Fig. 1,.or to folded position within.

the base bars and resting upon. the crossboard 12, Fig. 2. A 19 is mounted on the outer end of each frame bar 16, and chains 20 are fastened'at one end to the base bars '11,

11, at the foot rest end thereof, and'are engageable with the jaws to hold the frame in operative position, The chains permit a varied adjustment of the frame, in many operative positions suitable for different persons and different exercising movements.- In Fig. have shown the frame in vertical position in full lines and in one of many pos- 'sible inclined positions in broken lines." A

bodyzrest 21- is adjustable on the frame bars and it comprises a cross iOdIQQ mounted at its ends in brackets 23 which are slidable on the frame'bars and are held in adjusted-position bycam clamps 24:. The brackets are substantially U-shap'ed to embrace the, frame bars snuglyand the'clanips are pivoted in the brackets andareadapted to engage a fricbra'clzet. hen, the clamps areoperated to lock the body-rest in adjusted'position the notswingfreely, which is easily accomplished by making thepivot members 26 relatively tight.- By loosening "the clamps the body.

'tion'pla-te which is loosely held by the res'tcanbe adjust-ed to: anyposition on the frame bars,'and then locked securely in adjustedzposition by tightening thcclamps. head piece 2 adapted to be arranged on the head of the user is connected by an adjustable rope QS/with an elastic strap n'iei uber 29 which is engaged with a ring 30 fastened to e the cross-board 12'. The head attachment may or may notbc provided, as desired, and when provided as apart of the apparatus it may or may not be used, since it does notin any way interfere with the use of the 'ap} )aratus for other purposes.

' In practice the apparatus is set up as shown inFig. 1 on the floor, with the body rest ad- 7 justed-as desired. Then theuser may stand on the foot rest with his heels against the abutment and with his body leaning against the body rest and do forward 'hending'exercises, as shown in Fig. 8.. Then the user may insert his toes in the stirrups and lean his back against the body rest and do back ward bending exercises,as shown in Fig. 9. And the user may lean his right side against the body rest and engage the side of his right foot against the abutment and throw his left foot and leg outward and upward while bending sidewaysover the body rest; and repeat this operation on the left side. And the user may lean forward over the body rest and engage his head with the head piece. and stretch the elastic strap member toexercise his neck and shoulder muscles While engaged in forward bending exercises. Itwill be apparent that the apparatus may be used in many ways for a great varietyof bending exercises, which stretch and develop the mus cles and keep them supple and strong. At the same time these movements exercise the organs of the body and keep them in a healthy active condition.

It may be. desirable to change the form, construction and arrangement of parts of the apparatus to meet different conditions and I reserve the right to makev all such changes as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An exercising apparatus comprising a base having a foot rest thereon, a frame pivoted on the base in advance of the foot rest, means for holding the frame in upward ad justed position, and a body rest slidably mounted on the frame.

2. An exercising apparatus comprising a base having a foot rest thereon, a frame pivoted on the base in advance of the'foot rest, means for holding the frame in upward adjusted position, a pivoted body rest slidable onthe frame, and means for adjustingand locking the body rest in adjusted position on the frame.

3. An exercising apparatus comprising a base having a foot rest thereon, a frame pivoted on the base in advance of the foot rest, means for holding the frame in upward adjusted position, and a body rest pivotally and slidably mounted on theframe to move in the direction. of the length of the base.

4. An exercising apparatus comprising a base having a foot rest thereon, a frame pivoted on the base in advance of the foot rest,

means for holding the frame in upward ad- 7 the frame-in upward adjusted position,

brackets siidable on the frame bars, clamps for securing the brackets in adjusted'posltion, and a bodyrest connected with said brackets. V V

6. An exercising apparatus comprising a base having a foot rest thereon, frame pivoted on the base in advance of the foot rest and comprising side bars, meansforholding the frame upward adjusted position, brackets slidable. on the frame bars, clamps for securing the brackets in adjusted position, a rod mounted at its ends on saidbrackcts, andga body rest pivoted on said rod to move in the directionof the length of the base.

7. An exercising apparatus comprisingv a base having a foot rest thereon, a frame pivoted on the basein advance of the foot rest andeomprising sidebars,.a body. rest on the side bars, jaws on the outer ends of the side bars, and chainsconnccted to the base and adjustably engageablewith the aws to hold the frame inupward adjusted position.

8. An exercising apparatus comprisingra base having afootrestthereon at one end, a frame pivoted to said base, a sl-idably mounted body rest pivoted to said frame,

means for supporting said body rest in adjusted position: lengthwise of the base, means for adjusting'said body rest towards or from the base. and'a head piece elastically connected to the base on the opposite side of the bedy rest from the foot rest.

JOHN R. ANDERSON. 

